50 million litres of crude oil stolen from Cairn field, Gang busted after 6 years

Rajasthan Police have cracked a well-organised syndicate that allegedly smuggled about 50 million litres of crude from the Cairn India oil field through water tankers.

Jaisalmer: Rajasthan Police have cracked a well-organised syndicate that allegedly smuggled about 50 million litres of crude from the Cairn India oil field through water tankers, as per a Times of India report.

The theft at the India's largest onshore oilfield went undetected for nearly six years. The police have arrested 25 people in connection with the sophisticated smuggling network.

The oil stolen from the subsidiary of the British mining and Metals Company Vedanta Resources is reportedly worth about Rs 45-50 crore.

Investigations revealed the oil robbery racket was run by a gang of over 100 people, including company employees. The accused stole 10 million litres of crude oil every year.

Police have identified three illegal factories at Jalore, where the stolen crude oil was sent and then transported to Gujarat, West Bengal and Delhi, among other states. A total of 30 people has been arrested in connection with the case.

During investigations, it was found drivers carried crude oil in tankers, which were meant for carrying water. To avoid tracking, the drivers would disable their GPS devices.